Musical instrument



Feb. 26, 1929.

H. BERNARD MUS I CAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 8, 1921 Hal-"g Bernard. w

Patented Feb. 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES HARRY BERNARD, OF CHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Application filed March 8, 1921.

This invention relates to wind musical in' struments, and the primaryobject of the invention is to provide a novel means for permitting theplaying of the chromatic scale minus the heretofore customary number ofopenings and keys for making the tones and half tones, and theconsequent diliicult fingering (half tones in this application refer tosemitones, or half-steps of tempered chromatic scale).

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel means forpermitting the playing of the complete chromatic scale with no lateralshifting of fingers, said means permitting the playing of the half tonesat any point and by the same operation, emitting one of the chromaticintervals (one half tone) only when the music demands it.

A further object of the invention 1s to provide novel means for playingthe chroinatic scale on wind instruments by altering the reed orair-reed (air-current) in contradistinction to my patent of 1907 No.8%,998, which involved changing of the openr ings or resonant lengths ofair. All of my instruments need the operation only of a single memberfor playing the half tones desired between the normal all whole-toneprogressions that distinguish my various instrnnr ts from others. I

A further object of the invention is to pro vide an attachment for windinstruments, such as the flagcolet, ocarina, octavot, and the like,(life or flute with mouth piece applied to blow hole being practically aflageolet) for playing of the complete chromatic scale by an easilyactuated tone altering device, said device rendering a clear distinctionbetween the chromatic intervals, and eliminating sliding or slur-ringbetween half tones composing the couplets into which the chromatic scaletones are grouped throughout in my system of playing (and notation).

A further object of the invention is to pro- \idc an attachment formusical wind instruments for altering of pitch by one half tone rapidlyin the regular production of a scale by the actuation of a single memberin connection with a normal standard lingering.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improvedattachment for ordinary wind instruments of the above character, whichis durable and efiicient in use, one that is simple and easy tomanufacture, and one Serial No. 450,729.

which can be placed upon the market at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in thenovel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will behereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichdrawings;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wind instrument partly in section withthe improved attachment connected thereto.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section through theinstrument and attachment.

Figure l is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the instrument andattachment. I Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similarreference characters designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views, the letter A indicates the improved attachment and B aninstrument with which it is associated, while the invention has beenshown in use in connection with an instrument of the fiageolet type, itis to be understood that the same routine of fingering may be used withother instruments and that the same has been shown with a flageoletmerely for the purpose of illustrating a principle in achieving aroutine of fingering.

The instrument B is of the ordinary construction and includes thetubular body 10 having the usual mouth piece 11, in which is positionedthe plug or block 12, which forms the restricted wind passage 13.Directly in rear of the wind passage 13 is formed a rec tangular opening14, termed mouth. The body 10 is provided with the usual line of toneregulating or scale holes 15, by means of which the playing of the wholetones is con trolled.

The attachment A includes the body member 16, which is preferably curvedtransversely to conform to the contour of the in strument, and theforward end thereof is provided with the laterally extending supports17, which are disposed on opposite sides of the body 10. The terminalsof the supports 17 are bent slightly inwardly as at 18, and are providedwith inwardly inclined cars 19, which gradually converge toward eachother as at 20. These ears 19 are adapted to be moved over the mouth 14for restricting the size thereof, which consequently lowers the pitchand. the ears are so shaped as to help lower pitch of any tones emittedfrom the holes 15, when the ears are moved to an operative position. Theinner ends of the cars 19 are offset as at 21 and are arranged to bemoved into engagement with the side walls of the mouth opening 14 whenthe cars 19 ioved to an operative position in relation to the mouthopening and 19 and 21 su 'aces combine to form a removable ear similarto organ pipe practice. The bent ends 18 of the supports 17 are providedwith reinforcing lugs that form approximation to an organ-pipe beardwhich extend inwardly toward each other, and also help lower pitch.

In fact these rugs and preceding converging parts are the mechanicalequivalent of a thumb'and index linger meeting over the mouth of theflageolet anc sealing the sides of the mouth as wouln the ears appliedto or an nine. The resultant arch oartalies e; l l l of nature of earsand board, and lowers pitch of holes 15. In order to give a'sharpdistinction between the components of the pairs of chromatic tones, atransversely extendin bar 23 is provided, and the same is formed on theoffset portion 21 of the ears 19 and will momentarily cut ofl the flowoil air through the wind passage 18 during the initial positioning ofthe ears over the openeing 14. This prevents the sliding or the siurringin playin when changing from one tone to another ol' the grouped pairsof chromatic tones under each scale controlling finger.

In order to facilitate the operation of the attachment A, the body 16 ismounted upon the transversely extending pivot pinQl which is carried bythe attacl 1i ng plate 25 secured to the body 10. A leaf spring 26 isalso secured to the plate 25 and engages the inner surface oil the outerend of the body 16 and normally holds the cars 19 and the cross bar 23away from the mouth opening i l. When itis desired to operate theattachment to play a halt tone lower, it ismerely necessary to pressdown upon the body 16 which will move the cars 19 in correct position inrelation to the opening l l, vhich *ill lOWQlllllG p tch a halt tone.During the initial positioning oil the cars it), the bar 533 willmomentarily interrupt passage of: air 13-5 and thus give a cleardistinction between he tones oi coupled chroniatics arranged to bemitlcd l'rom a given hole 15. It is understood that chromatics can becoupled up on a diilerent plan whereby depressing 16 might raise thepitch; or 16 can be a simple flapper on top of an ordinarymouth-up.'fiageolet without the fulcrum and lever action shown.

I claim: v

1. A musical instrument of type with five finger controlled vents foraltering by 12 consecutive-hall tones the fundamental tone of theopen-endliody in connection with 3. ln' a wind musical instrur' entwithfive lateral linger controlled vents in its body giving only whole-tonenogressions, the combination of means for producing halt tones in amanner common to all the wholetone intervals, said. means beinginstantly removable structures that, when in operative position, alterthe normal flow of air currents after their exit from the wind lay oithe mouth piece of instrument.

l. in a musical instrument including a body provided with a series offinger controlled intervals, all for producing whole tones, a manuallyoperated member cooperating with any selected whole tone interval forproducing a half tone.

it musical insti rent of flageolet type with finger-controlled ventsgiving intervals oi whole-steps principally, provided with meanscomprising a plurality of pitch altering devices including ears andheard and a cross bar, mounted for simultaneous operation to control themouth opening.

6. In a musical instrument, including a body having finger controlledopenings that emit whole tone intervals normally when fingers operate inrotation, and a mouth piece; combination of means movably or flexiblymounted intermediate the mouth piece and the finger controlled openings,arranged to be operated by a single motion oi limb or other bodilymember for produciug the half tones of a chromatic scale between suchwhole tones in a manner common to all such whole tones.

7. In a 'lageolet with whole tone finger controlled openings,combination oi a hall t:meattachmcnt including a member a rra gcd to hebrought across the mouth opening quickly tor producing a chromaticscale.

8. In a ilageolct, a body having mouth piece, and whole tone fingercontrolled openings, of a halt tone attachment including a single membermovably connected to the body having ears arranged to be brought incontact with instruments mouth at sides, and out of contact, will. 7

9. In a 1 ageolet, a body having a mouth piece, a vent opening, andwhole tone finger controlled openings, use of a half tone attachmenttherefor including a member flexibly or Lassen movably connected to thebody having ears arranged to be brought to sides of the mouth opening,and means for rendering a sharp distinction between adjacent chromat-icsof a scale of half tones.

10. In a flageolet including a body having a mouth piece with usual windlay, a mouth opening arm? d in rear of the wind lay and 3 fingercontrolled openings, use t tone attachment vtor the i ,st-rinne 5including a movably mounted member carried by the body including earsadapted to be bro 'ght over the mouth opening on opposite ties thereofand z: N

. iar an oil to momentarily obstruct the wind lay when the ears beinnoved into their operative or inoperative p srtions.

11. In a iiegeolet including a body having a mouth piece, provided withwind lay, a mouth ope: g ranged directly in rear ot the wind lay andwhole tone finger controlled open of a half tone a chment for the.nstrument, for play lected h alt" es without any clean; [in ing thewhole tone openin prising a member flexibly connected. t body the memberhaving inw rt ly extending, converging or convex ears arranged to bequickly brought on opposite sides of the mouth opening, and atransversely extending cross-bar connected to the inner ends of the earsintended to momentarily interrupt the exit of air from wind lay duringthe bringing com- 0 ti of the cars into and out of operative relationwith the mouth opening.

12. In a flageolet including a body having a mouth piece provided with aWind lay and a mouth opening in rear thereof, and a plurality of wholetone openings, use of an attachn'ient for playing oi halt tones Withoutthe addition of tone openings, including a ransworsely curved body,means flexibly connecting the body to the musical instrument body,inwardly extending supports formed on the opposite sides of the body atthe inner end thereof arranged to extend along the sides of the body ofthe musical instriiunent, inwardly extending converging convex orconcave ears formed on the supports adapted to be brought on oppositesides of the mouth opening, oflset portions formed on the ears arrangedto be moved to their operative positions, a cross-bar connecting saidofi' set portions with the ears adapted to be momentarily brought acrossthe exit of wind lay, and spring means engaging the body portion of saidmember for normally holding the ears and the cross bar in whateveradapted as a position oi rest.

13. A musical instrument of flageolet type giving substantially wholetone intervals, provided with means comprising a plurality ofpitch-altering devices including cars and heard mounted and operated tocontrol the mouth-opening.

HARRY BERNARD.

